Inspired Violence
by MewMidnight
Summary: After Ra's pulls Bane from the pit and allows him to join the League of Shadows, Feelings develop between his beloved daughter and Bane. Ra's only sees him as a beast, but can Bane prove himself to Talia's father while the League members plot against him? Witness the events that led up to Bane's excommunication and the beginning of the Dark Knight Rises. Talia x Bane Centric.
1. Welcome to the League

Description: [Pre-TDKR] Talia is ecstatic when her father brings Bane back from the pit and gives him the mask, but Ra's isn't so sure about him. Talia's relationship with Bane is far different now. As she starts to see him more than just a protector, her father becomes more and more uneasy with Bane's presence.

Rating: T, violence, cursing, and for later chapters.

Couples: Talia x Bane.

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Everything around him felt foreign. This world was alien to him, he had never been in it before. All he had known was the hell of the pit he was born in, and the rage that built inside him against all of those that destroyed innocence. Ra's al Ghul was walking in front of him, inside the hideout of the League of Shadows. Everything had happened so fast. The League Of Shadows burst into the pit, killing everyone. Except him. The air around them was frigid and dry, making his throat feel scratchy. Now here he was, inside the League's main hideout, going to meet the girl he once saved. Bane wasn't sure how Talia would react. It had been so many years since he had seen her, he wouldn't even probably recognize her. The hideout was huge and dim, and there was no movement. For having so many members, the place was dead silent. Bane's heavy footsteps irked Ra's as they walked, although the leader wouldn't voice his irritation.

The only reason Ra's brought him here, was for Talia. He cherished his daughter, and wanted to give her the opportunity to thank the man who saved her as a child. Bane was the only one pulled from that hellish prison. Ra's had given him a mask, designed to keep the pain of his injuries at a minimum. As far as Ra's was concerned, he was going a long way to help this man that he didn't necessarily believe could be a part of the league of shadows anyway.

Ra's felt slightly anxious as they approached the hidden courtyard in their facility. This courtyard was only available to himself, and his daughter. Ra's wanted Talia to talk with Bane herself, and then he would decide what to do with the man afterward. It would be quite a task to explain his lack of confidence in Bane to Talia. He knew he would end up giving Talia what she wanted, she meant everything to him.

This was the first time Bane had been inside the League of shadows after Ra's gave him the mask. The huge man hadn't been very talkative since he was pulled out the the pit a few days prior. Bane felt lost, like a child. It wasn't like him to feel ignorant, but he honestly didn't know hardly anything of this world. The older gentleman turned to face Bane as they stopped in front of the courtyard doors,

"Talia is inside. When she is done with you, come back to me, and I shall decide what to do with you then. Do you understand?"

Bane stared at the man, shifting his weight slightly in Ra's intense gaze,

"I understand."

Ra's eyed him once last time before opening the door beside him, holding it open for the masked man. Bane slowly walked into the courtyard, natural light beaming down through the open section of the roof. Snow fell into the open area, blanketing the small rock garden in white powdery ice. The sound of water falling was all he could hear as he walked out onto the cobblestone pathway through the small frozen garden. Snow crunched beneath his heavy body. Bane didn't see anyone around as he paused in front of a small decorative pond. Water poured off of a higher pond, and ran down a small stacked rock pile.

"You're much bigger than I remember."

A chill ran down his spine as the sultry voice spoke to him, he turned to face the source of the voice.

The first glance would change him forever. There she stood, on the wooden patio in front of another set of doors to his left. Bane felt his heart skip a beat as he took in her appearance. Never had he felt so alive. A small smile played Talia's lips as he stared at him in silence. Her deep chestnut colored hair fell around her face in loose waves. Large brown eyes locked on his narrow icy blue ones. Talia was a woman now. A beautiful, lightly olive skinned woman, the way her lips curved in the small smile made his face feel warm.

"Talia?"

He asked, turning to completely face her. The woman stepped off the patio and casually walked up to him, her eyes locked on his face with a kind expression. Her features became even clearer as she closed the distance. Talia was so incredibly gorgeous to him now, she was nothing like he imagined. She moved with an unimaginable grace, her steps somehow silent in the snow. Bane couldn't believe this was the girl he had saved. The elegant woman looked up at him with a loving expression, her voice was so soothing as she spoke.

"Yes Bane, it's me."

Her hands found their way to his now mask-covered jaw, her thin fingers feeling the hard new feature. The strange new feature to his face didn't seem to phase her. Bane felt the urge to grab her and hug her, but he didn't want to push any boundaries. It had been too many years since they had seen each other. She was probably in her twenties at least by now. Talia sighed and slowly put her arms around his large abdomen, the side of her face pressing into his huge chest. Bane wasn't sure how to react, he didn't even know her now. The sudden embrace made his hardened heart melt. This was the same girl, but she was so different. So beautiful.

That word wouldn't leave his mind. Beautiful.

He hesitantly returned her embrace, unsure of how to handle the situation. After carefully putting his burly arms around her, he became stark still. Bane was at a loss of words, his eyes tearing up. She had made it. Talia was alive. Everything he had suffered was worth it now because he could see and hold her. She was safe. The old aches and pains seemed to fade away as her warm delicate body held his. Bane fought the tears that formed in the corners of his eyes as she held him. It was unreal. The moment felt like it lasted forever.

"I can't express how happy I am to see you Bane. I never thought I would see you again after I left."

Bane felt his muscles tremble as he released her, her voice was so kind. Talia admired his face through the mask as she stared up at him. The small smile didn't leave her face as he responded,

"What I feel is indescribable Talia."

As the two began talking amongst each other, Ra's observed from an upper level window. His narrow eyes locked on them with an unwavering glare. He didn't trust this man. Bane. The man couldn't be trusted. Ra's would admit he was grateful to Bane for helping his daughter, but the man wasn't the type to cherish life. Bane looked like a monster, and was built like one. Ra's felt in his gut that this man was far more ruthless than he appeared. It had been years since he had seen Talia, it had been years since he knew what it was like to show true compassion. Care wasn't something Bane would possibly be able to understand now, this was all a lie. A false sense of comfort on his daughter's part.

It wouldn't take much to make a man raised from hell to snap and injure his beloved daughter.

Ra's felt a twinge of anger as Bane rushed forward and hugged her. Talia chuckled slightly as her feet came off the ground in his hearty embrace. Tears rolled down Bane's cold cheeks as he held her. He felt weak, allowing himself to cry, but it didn't matter wriggled her arms free and hugged his neck, putting her cheek on the side of his shaved head. Talia felt the same as she did when they were younger. His strong arms felt like the safest place in the world. The girl couldn't stop smiling as Bane held her close, his warm embrace making her feel whole again. Bane had been everything to her when she was young, and now she could finally understand how important he had been to her survival. This girl, this woman, brought out the heart inside his hardened body. Something he forgot he had.

"I can't thank you enough for everything you did for me Bane, I could never properly appreciate what you did for me while I was a child. But now, I promise I'll be here for _you_ now."

That fiery nature of hers made him smile inwardly, he gently set her back on the snowy path. He reached out and brushed her hair out of her face as he stood upright again, towering over her. Snowfall left tiny imperfections on their dark clothes, and daintily fell around them. It was like a dream. Bane's voice was deep and laced with admiration as he stared into her eyes,

"I never thought I would see you again. I'll go wherever you need me."

…

"Talia, You don't understand what I'm getting at. You are't listening to me."

The defiant brunette woman stood in front of her father's desk. He was standing in front of his window, head turned back to look at her. Ra's expression was deadly serious as he continued,

"Bane is a brute. He isn't going to be stealthy, he isn't the right type to be a part of the league. I can't-"

"You have no appreciation for him, he _saved_ my life. You don't know him like I do. Giving him a chance is the least you can do. Or does my life mean nothing to you?"

As these two argued, Bane was down the hall looking down into the main room. He casually leaned against the rail overlooking the lower floor main room. New members of the league were doing basic training. It seemed rough, far more intense than he ever thought. He wasn't sure how to react when Talia told him she wanted him to be a part of the League of Shadows. It wasn't what he expected to do when he escaped the pit, but whatever she wanted, he would do. Talia was the only person in his life that meant anything. She gave him purpose. She was Bane's only real connection to the real world. He knew her father probably wouldn't want him to be here, this was a very secretive organization.

After about thirty minutes, Talia emerged from Ra's office area. A confident expression was written on her face, her eyes locked on his as she approached him. Bane stood upright as she gave him the news,

"You're to begin training tomorrow. You're only going to be a few lessons behind me, but I'm sure you can catch up."

Bane nodded in agreement,

"I see."

"I'll take you to your room."

She then turned on her heel and Bane followed her quick pace down the corridor. Ra's heard them go by his office, he clenched his jaw as he looked out the window, down the jagged cliffs of the Himalayas. He wouldn't take it easy on him. Bane was going to work just as hard, if not harder than everyone else. Bane would have to earn his trust.

…

The room wasn't much, to say the least. It was a very small space was a tiny window, and a small bedroll. Bane wasn't sure he would even fit on the tiny cot. Talia seemed to read his mind and chuckled as she turned to see his reaction to the room. The large man lifted his eyebrows,

"I suppose I'll make due."

Talia smiled and shrugged,

"I'm afraid it's all we have."

She said calmly as she then closed the distance between them, a smile plastered on her face. Talia stifled a chuckle and looked up at him,

"It's hard not smile now that I know you're safe and here with me again."

Bane's smile was evident thanks to his expressive eyes. It had been a long time since he truly smiled as well. He inhaled sharply as Talia stood up on her tip toes and gently placed a tiny kiss on the exposed part of his left cheek. She then nodded and walked passed him through the doorway, calling back to him,

"Get some rest, You'll need it."

...

The training was brutal. It was just as difficult as he expected after seeing the new members training. Bane did his best to make Ra's see how powerful he was, but Talia was the only thing that kept him going at times. There were many nights where he could not sleep because of the aching of his body. He and Talia only saw each other at the end of each day's training. Sometimes Talia would not have time to talk with him, other times they would sit into the late hours of the night talking together. Bane wouldn't admit it openly, never would he speak the words he truly thought of. He loved Talia.

It began with the passion to protect something fragile and innocent. While in the pit, he watched over her, as a guardian would. But now, in their little conversations, the feeling of love trickled through his mind like a poison. All through his training, he would think of seeing her face at the end of each day. Even the days in which he only saw her for a brief moment, it made all the difference. It was love. Love wasn't something Bane was familiar with, but it was quickly dominating everything about him. He trained harder, moved quicker, and attacked with more ferocity when he thought of protecting Talia. This woman was his world, she always had been. He knew she could never love him, nor be with him. Ra's had done his best to keep their time together limited. It was easy to see her father still did not trust him.

At the end of a stealth training day, Bane was sitting alone behind the main facility. The small area overlooked the gorgeous view of the mountains around them. However, snow was falling heavy today, the distant air was hazy with the small flakes. His whole body ached as he sat on a stone bench, admiring the majestic scene. It was a beauty he truly appreciated. In the pit, there was nothing. Only the slight hope at the top of the pit was pleasing to look at, some of the time.

He had learned to pick up on approaching individuals, even when they were silent. Bane felt her presence, making him feel relaxed. He didn't even need to look to know she was there. The aching in his body always seemed to subside when he was with Talia.

"You look exhausted."

She said with a coy tone, walking up beside where he was sitting. Her eyes were out on the hazy view, a puff of white air erupted from her as she breathed the frigid air. Bane looked out in front of them as well,

"Exhaustion is for the weak. You father will just have to work harder to make me collapse I suppose."

Talia looked down at him, a playful look in her eyes. Bane scooted to his left, allowing some space to his right for her to sit. The woman plopped down beside him, a sigh escaping her lips.

"You're too concerned with what my father thinks."

Bane chuckled and responded cooly,

"I am not the least bit concerned with what he thinks my dear. I do not exist to fight for him."

Talia was quiet for a few moments. His dedication was always a comfort for her. No one, not even her father, had been this dedicated to her. The brunette woman leaned to her left, resting against Bane's bulky shoulder. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Bane's gaze fell to the snowy earth in front of him, the contact made him feel soft. She brought out the gentleness inside him, even though no one around him ever saw it. This was something he would only share with her. Bane came across as a ferocious killer to the others here at the league. He didn't socialize, he wasn't here to make friends. He was here to fight. To become stronger than anyone. For her.

The girl's head was so light against him, she felt weightless. Bane turned his head slightly, looking at the top of her now messy brown hair. He wasn't sure how long he had been here. Time seemed to be absent amidst all the training. Day and night were their only gauges of time here at the League. Ra's would send the higher ranking members out on missions occasionally, so he must have a way of measuring the time. But none of that truly mattered to him. Talia was all that mattered. Her soft words broke his train of thought,

"I'm so comfortable."

Bane wasn't quite sure what she meant by that, whether it be with him, or here in her current situation at the league. He huffed and glanced back out at the icy Himalayan Mountains.

"With what exactly?"

Talia chuckled under her breath, blowing more white laced air out in front of her. She had such a charming demeanor about her, despite her fierce fighting ability. Her fighting other men had always irked him, especially when she was injured. Bane always felt the urge to beat the man who dared lay a hand on her, even while just sparring.

"With you Bane, I always have been. It feels as if no time has passed at all to my heart."

She said calmly, nuzzling slightly against him. Her last few words struck a nerve with the enormous man. He wasn't sure if she meant she loved him, or if she just meant as her protector. These sorts of things were irritating to him, since he was unable to truly decipher them, even within himself. Feelings were something he avoided inside the pit. A sudden question from the girl threw him completely off,

"Can I stay with you tonight?"

Her question was sudden, and more than unexpected. A chill ran down his spine as soon as she said it, he was silent for a few moments as he looked fully in her direction. Talia still leaned against him, not even looking up to him. Bane never stumbled over words, he always figured out what to say. This was unbelievable, why would she want to stay with him? Did she just want company? A whirlwind of emotions overwhelmed him. Her father would definitely be outraged if she did something like this, especially with him.

"Your father would strongly disapprove."

"I thought you didn't care what he thinks."

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MewMid: 2nd TDKR story, I'm super inspired. It was going to be a oneshot, but I see I have to continue it now. Ha!

Hope everyone likes it so far! Please, leave thoughts and constructive criticism! I always appreciate it and always respond.

R and R!


	2. Unusual Comfort

Description: Bane allows Talia to stay with him, and then has a serious run in with another member of the league. Things grow tense between Ra's and Bane as their training hits it's peak. But will Ra's give Bane a chance to prove himself?

Rating: T Violence, cursing.

MewMid: To all the anonymous/guest reviewers, I really appreciate your feedback! Thanks so much for reviewing! I hope you continue to do so. :D

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"I thought you didn't care what he thinks."

Talia was cunning. Far more cunning than he could appreciate. The brunette slowly sat upright, looking in his direction as if this was a completely normal request. Bane knew Ra's would be furious if he found out, but he couldn't tell her no. No part of him could say no.

"Sure."

The only word he could possibly muster at the moment. Talia smiled and stood up, ready to leave the dim snowy scene around them and rest. The masked man rose to his feet and followed her. Talia had him wrapped around her finger, they both knew it. He loved her, he wanted nothing more than to make her happy and keep her safe. Which was more than enough for now. How she made him so attached so fast was beyond him. The corridors seemed to go on forever as they made their way through the quiet hideout. Once training was over, very few members stayed up at night past their meal time. Once everyone grabbed their food, they almost immediately went to sleep. Ra's liked it that way. Quiet. The training was working if all you could do was sleep and eat.

It wasn't long before they approached his small room's door. The girl entered the room without hesitation, he simply followed her. Bane wouldn't lie, he was nervous. Why would she want to do such a thing? Talia turned to look at him once he closed the door behind them. She didn't appear nervous in the least. Bane made no move, he felt awkward, frozen. Talia's expression was so calm, the small smirk remaining on her face.

"It'll be just like old times."

Talia said as she shed the large outer robe, leaving her thin under robe on. What she said was a lie, it was far different now. Bane still wasn't sure how to respond, what was this woman doing to him? He never felt so cautious, never so afraid. He would rather be battling to the death with another man his size than be here not knowing what to do. It made him feel silly. She motioned towards the small bedroll,

"You should lay down first."

The bulky man shed his large outer robe, and then hesitantly, his shirt. He did as he was told. Talia was quiet now, amused at his hesitation. Bane then laid down on the small bed, unsure of how she planned on sleeping in it with him. Since the bed was in the back left corner of the room, his head was close to the wall. Talia moved like a cat, silent and carefully. She stepped over him and laid down between the wall and his right side. She nuzzled herself in like she had done it a thousand times. Bane immediately tensed up as she laid down beside him. This felt surreal, the woman he loved so much was going to stay with him.

Deep brown hair fell in in a heap against his abdomen as she rested her head against his right ribcage. She used his massive bicep as a pillow, nuzzling into his ribs. Bane felt his face grow hot as she shifted around to get comfortable, pulling the blanket over them. His eyes were locked on the top of her head, he still didn't believe she was here. Her legs leaned against his right leg, her right hand gently placed on his waist. Her delicate body was so warm against his, something he had never had in the past. Bane wouldn't lie, it was nerve wracking. The girl was immediately comfortable, but he wasn't.

"I usually get so cold at night."

Talia was so at ease, her eyes closed as she spoke and she just sponged off of his body heat. She knew that Bane wasn't relaxed, but he would have to get used to it. Bane couldn't find the words to respond to her. The feeling of nostalgia went through both of their minds, it was so comfortable being here again. The silence wasn't awkward in the least, both of them were happy in their own way. Nothing on his body ached as she curled up beside him. All bad thoughts and feelings fell away. Bane anxiously put his right hand on her lower back, feeling her smooth skin under his fingers. She didn't seem to react to his touch.

This was far different than the last time she slept beside him. When inside the pit, she was so tiny, so fragile. Young Talia would curl up beside him, and he would keep her safe from the dangerous world around her. It was a different sort of love. Now, he couldn't believe this gorgeous woman was beside him. He didn't care if it wasn't sexual, it wasn't about that now. His heart belonged to her, and he knew it. This woman gave him a new life, she was the reason he was here. Talia was the reason he was still alive. No one can survive in the world today without a will to live, a driving force. This warmth from her body, made him feel more alive than he had in a long time. All thoughts of the bitter cold hell he came from faded into the back of his memory.

The cold atmosphere around them no longer made them tremble at night, they were so warm together.

Cautiously, Bane felt her warm skin with his fingertips. He gently traced circles on her lower back, not making any moves that would potentially make her uncomfortable with his presence. Her breathing was slow and controlled, he felt so lucky to have her here.

Even though he closed his eyes and finally was able to relax, he knew he wouldn't sleep. He finally felt at ease with her warm body beside his, knowing she was safe while with him. He didn't mind being tired the next day, that was a small price to pay to have this intimate moment.

…

The deep sound a a bell rung through the facility, waking the members of the league for the morning session of training. It was a cold morning, and there was no warmth beside him. Bane's eyes shot open and he sat up, looking around the room. Talia wasn't there. Had it been a dream? Bane pulled his large body up, standing and stretching in the crisp air. It couldn't have been a dream, she must have left before he woke up. That girl was sneaky, almost unattainable, like smoke through a keyhole. He couldn't believe it had actually happened.

The large man treated the morning like any other, and reported to the sort of dining area before the training started. Other members shuffled around the long room, having casual conversations as they grabbed the bread and fruit for breakfast. Ra's only allowed them around ten or fifteen minutes to inhale their food before beginning training. Ra's believed morning training was most important. After bane passed the table of food with no interest, he sat down on a bench against the wall in silence. He didn't bother socializing nor eating with these people. None of them mattered. He was not here to make friends. He didn't eat in the mornings either, not bothering to take his mask off in front of so many people. Bane took his mask off only when absolutely necessary, and eating in the morning wasn't important to him. It was painful for him to have the mask off, and therefore liked to eat alone during the short lunch break and in the late evening after training.

His comfortable silence was short lived, two members he recognized from his lessons appeared before him. Bane casually looked up at them, used to people talking about his mask and why he wasn't eating in the morning. One member stood slightly closer to him, he had black spiky hair and pale skin. The man looked strong, but was nothing compared to Bane's own size. The man appeared cocky as well, with a crooked grin on his face as he spoke,

"Must be a pain in the ass eating with that thing on huh?"

Bane's stern gaze didn't falter as he sat, the man shifting anxiously before him. There was no point to engage this ingrate in conversation. It was easy to see explaining his mask would only raise more irritating questions. The man chuckled when he got no response,

"You ain't got nothin' to say? Well… What If I told you I saw you last night after training, with Al Ghul's daughter?"

His words struck a nerve, this man had no right even to mention Talia to him. Bane could care less if they saw him with her, he didn't care what these people thought of him. Talia did not deserve to be gossiped about, and Bane would see to it that they didn't talk about her while he was around. The spiky haired man made a false sound of surprise as Bane stood up,

"Trying to intimidate me with your size?"

Bane shook his head calmly,

"I don't need to try to intimidate such a weakling. It would be a waste-"

"Oh, I'd be a waste of your time?"

The man interjected, sort of puffing his chest out in offense to what the larger man before him said. Bane's words then became quite threatening, but he was so calm when he finished his statement,

"-To have to kill you."

The man stood defiantly before the masked man, becoming irate because of what Bane said. The second member mumbled something about leaving Bane alone, but the black haired man ignored him. Bane shifted his weight as the man leaned toward him tauntingly. His voice filled with the tone of a pathetic attempt at intimidation,

"You think I'm scared of you? You think your'e big and bad because you're fucking our leaders daughter?"

As soon as the words escaped his mouth, a huge hand surged forward and seized him by his bottom jaw. The man's eyes opened wide in terror as Bane held him with an unforgiving grip on his bottom jaw. His hand was just as strong as it looked, the man sputtered something unrecognizable. Bane still seemed calm as other members began looking in their direction. The masked man took a deep breath, the mask making him sound like he was wheezing,

"Although you speak of me with disrespect, you'll not do the same for Talia I'm afraid."

Just as the man moved to pull free, Bane suddenly throttled him down to the right. A loud cracking sound came from the man's jaw as he collapsed in a heavy heap. The man was frighteningly still now. Blood began to pool around his head from his mouth as he laid unconscious. The second member dove down by his friend, keeping an eye on Bane and his movements. He shook his head as he inspected his fellow member,

"You completely broke his jaw!"

He snapped at the masked man, who didn't show an ounce of compassion for the now broken member. The other people began filing out of the room, going to the training room. None of them wanted to have any part in the scuffling, especially since Ra's wouldn't tolerate any personal attacks. The huge man made his way towards the training room as well, but paused when Ra's stepped in the doorway in front of him. The older gentleman had a stern glare on his face, looking up at Bane with no amount of kindness in his eyes. His voice was raspy and threatening,

"What the hell was that?"

Bane shifted his weight, his hands moving up and grabbing his own robe on his chest. He rested his hands here quite often when he spoke,

"He was a pathetic excuse of a man, attempting to make himself appear strong before the others. I merely put him in his place."

The huge man made it sound so casual. Ra's grit his teeth, angry with this monstrous man,

"And you believe it's your place to do such a thing, Bane?"

Ra's spat his name like venom, glaring up at the masked man. Bane's resolve didn't falter in the presence of this man,

"You weren't here to do so yourself, so I took it upon myself."

Ra's looked passed him as the injured member was lifted by two good samaritans. The unconscious man was taken away towards the medical room in the far wing of the facility. Ra's then saw Talia come down the stairs, a concerned expression on her face as their eyes met. Ra's then looked back to Bane, the two stared in silence for a few moments. Ra's tone didn't get any friendlier as he spoke,

"Go inside."

He snapped, motioning towards the large room behind him. Bane was still just for a moment, and then did as he was instructed. It was bitter to swallow Ra's anger for him, but he decided not to stir the pot any more than necessary. Putting up with Talia's father was something he expected to deal with once he came here. As Bane passed him to go into the training area, Talia stared at her father. The older man gave her a look of disappointment before turning and going in to train the members.

…

At the end of the day, every member was exhausted. Ra's had been in a sour mood all day because of this mornings events, and took it out on the league with the intensity of their training. When Ra's entered his office, his daughter was already waiting for him. Her level of training had finished earlier than the one he was instructing. Ra's had trusted only a few selected individuals to train the more advanced students. Talia was standing in front of his window, staring out at the mountains when he walked in. The air was instantly tense between them.

"You wanted to see me?"

Talia said, already knowing what his response would be. Ra's knew that his daughter was just getting under his skin. It was so easy for her. Since he got her back years ago, he tried to spoil her as much as he could. However, things were getting out of hand now, with Bane at least. Ra's walked through the office and paused in front of his desk, arms crossed on his chest. His words were bitter as he explained how he felt,

"You already know what I have to say."

The brunette looked back at her father with a relaxed expression,

"I know he snapped, but he has a good heart. You just don't know him like I do."

"Like you _did_, Talia. He's not the same as you remember. You saw for yourself how vicious he was today."

The woman sighed and turned to face her father completely, frustrated with this unnecessary tension. Talia's tone became one of slight resentment about the situation,

"He did it for me. Would you please just let this go?"

As much as Ra's didn't want to let this go, he knew this was the first true mistake Bane had made. The irritated leader shifted his weight and sighed, knowing he would cave and give Bane one last chance for his daughters sake. He felt obligated to give her what she wanted, he owed it to her. The first years of her life were filled with such pain, he couldn't help but give in when she truly wanted something. Talia's eyes were what speared his heart, they looked so much like her mothers. Ra's shook his head,

"This one mistake will be forgiven. He had better stay in line from now on, do you understand?"

Talia half smiled, he always asked if she understood at the end of everything he asked. It was her notification that he was just caving in for her. The woman then made her way around the desk and up to her father, smiling warmly at him and kissing his cheek before exiting the room quietly. Ra's swallowed his bitterness and collapsed in his desk chair as she left him to his thoughts. Talia could easily be manipulative without being malicious. It was a wonderful, and terrible quirk that she also inherited from her mother.

Most of him didn't want to give Bane a chance. That brutish man wasn't League of Shadows material as far as he could see. Being strong doesn't mean that he is good enough to be a member.

Thoughts began to race through Ra's mind as he turned in his chair to face the windows. The wide open view of the mountains ranging as far as he could see. Small bits of sunlight barely creeped around the jagged landscape. The light was golden, it was just a tiny amount of warmth in an otherwise frozen landscape. There was an assassination request from an old ally to kill an enemy of his company. The man was stealing information and blackmailing the old ally of the League. Perhaps this was a perfect opportunity for Ra's to force Bane to prove himself to the League.

Talia would definitely be ecstatic if he were to give her and Bane this mission. He would see if Talia was far enough in her training to begin working as a fellow trainer, and if Bane had what it took to earn his trust. It was like killing two birds with one stone. He needed more trainers with all the incoming mission requests, and the absence of his most well trained members leaving gaps in the 'staff'. Talia would be an excellent deception and stealth trainer for his younger members.

Ra's took a deep breath, it was beyond uncomfortable to think of sending his daughter out with that man on a mission. However, if he didn't give Bane some sort of chance to prove himself, Talia wouldn't' forgive him. Ra's would definitely send a third member to keep a sharp eye on the two of them, and see how Bane handles the real life situation. Ra's just wanted his daughter to know he loved and respected her opinion, despite her questionable judgements with the company she kept. It was the least he could do for not being a part of her life for so many years.

…

The cold air made him feel even more rigid than he already did. Today's training had been intense, thanks to his own little scuffle with that cocky black haired man. No part of him regretted what he did. Being in the pit taught him to not take shit from anyone, ever. He took great offense to what that man said about Talia. He was fine with people harassing him and making fun of him, but he couldn't take it when people insulted those few that were close to him.

He could then feel her presence suddenly behind him, it was very faint. Talia always seemed to know when he was thinking of her. She also seemed to love attempting to sneak up on him. Bane calmly called her out,

"You cannot sneak up on me, Your presence is one I'm greatly accustomed to."

The woman chuckled as she gracefully walked over to him. He would always sit out here after training, just to get a moment with Talia before they would go to their separate ways in the evening. Seeing her face at the end of each day is what pushed him forward with his training. However, he wasn't sure what to expect from her tonight since she had stayed with him the previous night. Bane didn't know if she would even bring that fact up again. The masked man felt a rush up his spine as her small hands grabbed a hold of his large shoulder muscles.

"But… you are easy to surprise."

Talia said cooly, leaning in close to his face. Bane looked at her with a tilt of his head, her lips were dangerously close to his cheek as looked down at him playfully. His hardened heart would always melt when he saw her face. The lean woman then shifted, moving her hands off of his shoulders as she sat beside him on the bench. A sigh escaped her lips as she looked out at the darkened mountains ahead of them.

"I was honestly surprised about your little spat this morning."

Bane lifted his eyebrows in amusement,

"I merely taught him when to stop talking."

A wide smile appeared on her face, she shook her head and stared out ahead of them. There was a certain perfected sarcasm about Bane that always made her want to laugh aloud. He wasn't a humorous person, but he was so witty at times. Talia then had sudden a chill from the cold. She shivered slightly and leaned against his arm, exhaling a puff of white air. Bane looked down at the surprisingly cuddly woman,

"If you're cold constantly, why not invest in some better winter clothing?"

"Are you saying you don't like me sponging off of your body heat?"

She always did that. Talia always answered a question, with a question. Bane felt trapped by her and her slightly playful attitude. Everything about her made him want to spend more time with her. How could he let a woman do such a thing? Never had he imagined that he would allow someone so much control over him. The masked man furrowed his eyebrows together, wheezing through the mask in the chilly air,

"I never said that."

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MewMid: I totally love where my story is going, I just keep writing and writing. Inspiration has struck! Muahaha! Please leave your thoughts!

R and R my loves!


	3. Mission

Description: Ra's gives Talia, Bane, and one other shadow member an assassination mission. Meanwhile, the man Bane beat down is going through recovery, and begins to plot against Bane. Will Talia and Bane be successful on their mission? Or will they fail miserably?

Rating: T.

MewMid: I haven't been able to stop writing and thinking about this story and where I'm going to take it from here. It's just stuck in my head! Long chapter is long.

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"I never said that. "

Bane stated calmly, not looking over at the brunette leaning against his arm. Talia was so comfortable with him. His raw brutal attitude didn't mean anything to her. It was as if nothing in the world could lay a hand on her while she was on his arm. Bane had been part of her life for as long as she could remember, never once abandoning her. Although she would never admit it, she felt a rift between her and her father. Her father hadn't come out to save her mother from the pit, or even look for her. It struck her as odd that a man wouldn't go out to find the love of his life. Talia wasn't sure how much her father actually knew about where her mother was, or whether she was thrown in the pit or not. Once she found him, they only worked on salvaging what was left of their family. Talia sighed as she shook her thoughts, and mumbled under her breath quietly to Bane.

"I'm glad to hear it."

The softness in her voice made Bane internally cringe. Her voice made him feel soft, and weak. Bane had been a hard brutal individual, with little compassion for others. Things were different with her. There was something inside him that made him crave to be with her. This woman had a fierce hold on him, and he was unsure of how to handle it. Since feelings weren't his strong suit, he wasn't sure whether she truly loved him, or if she was just being appreciative of his protection. No matter what the case, he would never stop caring for her. Even if it killed him.

"If you don't mind my asking, are you happy here?"

The masked man allowed her question to sink in for a moment. Happy? It was something that he wasn't used to feeling. This world was less of a hell than the one he was dragged out of, but that wasn't a real answer to her question. Bane looked down at her, she glanced up, still pressing her cheek into his shoulder muscle.

"That's such an odd question."

"You didn't answer me. I know it's not a perfect world, but it gives us purpose."

Talia said with a rather eloquent tone, her quick eyes looking up to him in an innocent sort of way. It was like she was asking if she was right, it felt more like a question than a statement. Bane nodded and glanced back out at the now dark mountains. Small fiery torches were the only light source out here behind the large training facility, making them feel like the only people in the world in such a desolate place.

"A true purpose is the most important motivator in life, without it, our plans would go no where."

Bane stated with no real emotion in his words. The brunette gently nuzzled his arm with her cheek, puffing out white swirled air in front of her and swiping some hair out of her face.

"Well, I believe the bonds we make in life are the most powerful motivator for us to get our message across. I would die for any one of you in the league, as long as someone I loved was there to carry on my message, I could die with a content heart. Our bonds are the key to immortality my friend. Without the bonds between us, we would have nothing holding us together, and therefore no way of carrying out our purpose. "

Her words sunk in, she was very in depth. This was a new piece of her that Bane was struggling to come to terms with. Never could he have had such a conversation with her when she was a child. He respected her intelligence now far more than he would have imagined. Her heart was fully in to this purpose her father had given her. However, Bane hadn't considered the bond between them all. They all stood for the purpose of the league of shadows, but without their dedication to one another, it would all fall apart. A purpose was far more successful with others that stand by you.

"What a lovely view of such a grim place."

Talia then sat up straight, looking over to him. Bane turned his head and locked eyes with her, a small smile appearing on her lips as she stared over at him. He swore he saw a blush appear on her face, but it might have been from the cold. Talia seemed hesitant to ask him whatever she was thinking, taking small glances away from him and resisting giggling. The child in her seemed to come out when she was with him. Bane wasn't sure why she wasn't intimidated by him like everyone else was. Even though she knew him when she was a child, he was big and fearsome now. He was a truly formidable individual. However, she didn't seem the least bit deterred by his appearance, even with the mask.

"I feel like a child still when I'm around you. All the rigidity I was taught to have, just goes out the window. It's unprofessional of me."

"It would seem you care more about what others think, even though there is no one here to judge you when you're with me. Professionally has no reason to stand between us when we are alone."

A wider smile appeared on her lips and she nudged him with her shoulder, barely moving the large man. Talia leaned in close, that seductive expression on her face once again,

"Lets lay down, if you don't mind me sponging off of your body heat once again."

Talia's words rolled off her tongue in a slick way as she stood up next to him, knowing he would follow suit. Her protector got up and walked alongside her, not even protesting. Talia knew she changed the subject, and knew that Bane couldn't say no. Staying with him, made her feel safe at night. No matter what her father said, she wouldn't believe she was completely safe with some of the members here. Her father would claim he selected only those who could be trusted, but Talia had common sense. There were men here who believed she didn't deserve to be here because of her gender, and was only here because of her father.

Part of what they said was true, she wouldn't have thought to join the League of Shadows without Ra's. However, Talia now was motivated on her own account. She knew what her goal was in life. This goal brought her here, and had her around all of these very different individuals. Her father didn't completely appreciate that she was a woman, and that being here as a woman would effect her journey. A few men during her training sessions would eye her in a malicious way, making her feel uncomfortable. They would whisper about how she didn't belong among men, and sometimes even make threats against her. Taking on one man didn't intimidate her, but if they were to gang up on her, she could be in some real trouble. Talia had trained herself to sleep with one eye open since she lived here.

But now Bane was here, and was a wonderful protector. She knew Bane would crush anyone that attempted to do anything to her while her father wasn't present. Ra's couldn't watch her at all hours of the day with an entire league of individuals to manage. Bane's ferocity and intimidating nature made him the perfect body guard- while the hidden tenderness in his heart made him a perfect lover. Talia also knew there was another reason she enjoyed Bane around, something about him attracted her to him. Bane always pulled her in, with every word he said. The blind devotion being one of the most attractive things about him. Bane didn't care about anything but her, it was an unparalleled dedication. On top of all that, he tolerated her strict father.

The long dark corridors led them back to Bane's room. The air cold and stagnant inside the small room, making Talia hold her own arms in the chilly temperature. There was a cozy air about the small bedroom. Bane quietly closed the door behind him, still uncomfortable with her staying with him.

"It's so chilly in here."

She stated flatly, turning to look up at the tall man. The corners of her eyes lifted in a friendly way, even without her actually smiling with her lips. Bane nodded,

"That it is."

The two of them repeated the previous night's actions. Talia laid on his right side, allowing him to place his arm on her lower back. His hard fingertips drawing circles around on her skin was so comforting. The small undulations of his thick digits came so naturally to him. Comforting someone wasn't something he was used to, but this particular intimacy was the best part of the day. Neither one knew quite how much the other appreciated the contact. Neither of them were very good understanding their own feelings either.

After a few quiet moments of holding one another, Talia began to shiver. The cold effected her much more than it did Bane, with her body being so much smaller. Talia didn't like being seen as delicate or fragile though, she always wanted to be respected. She hated it when women were thought of as inferior to men. Bane never made her feel that way, she felt rather superior actually. The dynamic to which he dedicated himself to her, made her feel like she was a princess. It was irreplaceable.

The bulky man surprised her when he suddenly turned toward her, wrapping both of his arms around her and pulling her upwards. Talia exhaled slowly as his huge arms engulfed her, her head buried in his collar bone area. Bane's embrace was so warm, his body seemed to radiate heat. She felt rather tickled by how cuddly the generally tough guy was,

"Your heart is still somehow soft for having such a cruel life."

Bane wheezed through the mask, the scarred remains of his lips moving against the hard steel. He would not release the woman in his arms for anything. Her hair was in a mess below his chin, tickling his neck and right arm that supported her neck. The pleasant feminine scent of hers barely wafted through his mask. His tone was gentler than she had ever heard,

"Only for you."

His words made her heart melt, she immediately squeezed him tightly. For whatever reason, these words touched her. Bane seemed so tough and mean on the outside, but harbored such a tenderness inside him. It was a lovable mix. Talia fought the tears as they formed in her eyes, no one loved her like he did. Not even her father- a bitter pill of truth she had to swallow.

Bane made no move to grope or fondle her, that was not his intention by any stretch of the imagination. Just being able to hold this woman he cared so much for was enough. Warmth wrapped itself around her, a protective blanket only for her. Nothing could touch her, nothing could harm her while she was here. She felt immature for being so desperate for protection, but she had a hard life. Bane was a stone, an unwavering part of her life that was irreplaceable. Her heart ached when she thought of all the pain he suffered for her, she still knew she couldn't thank him enough. Talia's voice quivered as she spoke up, her throat tight with a hard knot from her resisting the urge to cry.

"I'm sorry…"

The sudden flow of emotion from her was highly unexpected. Bane only pulled her closer as he felt her begin to shake, fighting her own emotions. He hadn't seen such emotion from her since he was here. Talia was hardened like himself, but was finally breaking. He estimated it had to at least have been two months since he first came here, and this was only the second night she stayed with him. The sudden rush of emotions was almost too much to bear for him. Bane knew he couldn't look into her eyes while she cried.

The last time he had seen her cry, was when she was a child. Back then, her cries were saddening, and he always tried to cheer her up. Now, he had no idea how to make her feel better. Bane rubbed her arms with his hands as she sobbed quietly into his chest. Talia wasn't an emotional woman, as far as he was aware. The brunette tried her hardest to stifle her already soft cries, holding her arms to her chest and trembling. It was difficult to swallow for her, the thought of all Bane's suffering. She truly felt guilty for being such a burden to him. Talia felt selfish for always clinging to him, even now she did it. Bane loved her, lived for her, and she wasn't nearly grateful enough.

Bane spoke as soft as the mask would allow,

"You've got nothing to be sorry for."

"But- I do, all of your suffering… It was my fault. You had no obligation to protect me, but you did so anyway. I feel so…ungrateful."

Talia rushed through her sentence, pausing at awkward times to fight the urge to cry aloud. She hadn't felt so emotional in a long time, this wasn't normal for her. She felt as though she was having an out of body experience, looking down on herself from far above. Bane felt a tug at his heartstrings, she was crying for him. It was an unbelievable revelation for him. Her heart might actually be attainable, he potentially could be more to her than just a protector.

"No reason to cry over something so far in the past."

Her head slowly shook, she wiped the tears off of her cheeks and stumbled over her words once again,

"You've been with us for just a couple months, it's not that far passed. I feel selfish, you owe me nothing else. Yet, here you still are."

"You misunderstand, _I_ chose this. At any moment I could have abandoned you, but _this is_ my life's purpose. Don't punish yourself any longer, there is no need."

…

A loud shout escaped the anonymous man's mouth as he crumpled to the floor, blood spilling around him. Many darkly dressed individuals stood around, completely still and silent. The man moved to get up, but a large hand swiftly grabbed his neck and yanked him up. An unrecognizable sputter of words escaping his mouth as he was held high enough to where he couldn't stand up. His legs hung uselessly below him as grabbed at the huge man's forearm. He couldn't see the true expression of the man that was strangling him, only his eyes were visible. The dark narrow eyes of this man were more frightening than a fierce storm looming overhead.

Blood dripped on the floor from an unseen agonizing injury. Bane's grip only tightened around the man's throat, causing his breaths to come in short forced gasps. The one moment, the one that would save his life, seemed to never come. The injured man flailed, feeling the blood in his head boil as he felt the life being choked out of him. Bane could only hear the pounding of blood in his ears. A rage overwhelmed him as he dug his fingers into the man's skin, making him wince and drop his mouth open- like a dying fish.

"Enough."

The leader snapped behind them, his word quick and curt like the strike of a snake. The aged eyes of this wise man were narrow with spite towards this beast before him. The masked brute slowly released his grip, locking eyes with his victim once more before dropping him to the ground like a heavy bag of trash. The losing league member twisted beneath Bane like a cut worm, whimpering pathetically. A sigh escaped the twisted steel on Bane's face as he turned to face his leader.

Ra's' face was unemotional, but a hidden anger was easy for Bane to see. Instead of staying silent, he hissed once again,

"Come with me."

Ra's demanded, brushing passed Bane towards the rooms exit. Bane wasn't sure what this was about, but he knew it was important, and probably bad. Ra's never wanted to have one on one conversations with him. This man didn't even look at him while training usually, unless it was a hard glare. Large hands rested on the thick vest on bane's abdomen as he followed Ra's passed all of the other members, exiting the main training room in silence. The rush of footsteps continued down the long corridor, Ra's moving swiftly ahead of him.

Bane entered the office behind Ra's to find Talia and another unfamiliar man in the room. The other man was of a medium build, had wavy blond hair, and a rather flamboyant standing position with a hand on his hip. The masked man entered the room in silence, walking up to stand between the two individuals. Bane wasn't sure what this was about, but it hopefully had nothing to do with the sparring he just did. Ra's nimbly made his way around the desk and lifted his head high to speak to them. He had a certain lordly demeanor about him, as if he stood on higher ground than them.

"You three have been selected to complete an assassination mission for me. I have received the request from an old ally of the League of Shadows. A man is blackmailing his company for money, which provides us with food and supplies quite frequently. I am not going to go into the details of the blackmailing, but we have been asked to remove him from existence."

Talia shifted anxiously, earning her a quick glance from Bane. The large man's hands rested on his chest, holding onto his dark vest as he listened intently to Ra's. The older gentleman continued, pacing behind the large desk.

"They will be at a party in the National Archeological Museum in Athens, Greece. The black mailer is there with his significant other, who is an avid socialite. The two will be attending the party tomorrow evening, after the party, I want the assassination to take place in their hotel room. Out of sight. Talia, you will attend the party and confirm the man's identity visually while having a tracking device on your person. David, you'll keep an eye on her while she follows him and his girlfriend back to the hotel. His lady friend is aware of his black mailing situation, and therefore is to be killed as well. We don't want any loose ends. Bane, I want you to wait inside their hotel room, and destroy them upon their return. His name is Maverick Aduddel. His socialite girlfriend's name is Sara McGregor. I have all the other details of the mission in this folder."

Ra's motioned towards a small black folder sitting on top of his desk, and wrapped up his speech to them.

"Do the three of you understand your mission?"

Bane, Talia, and David nodded in agreement. David scoffed and shifted his weight by popping his hip out to the side,

"Of course sir, even though we probably don't need three of us to do it. When do we fly out?"

Talia looked over at the sly man, he wasn't a member she recognized. He didn't look trustworthy to her. Her father interrupted her thoughts as he responded to the man's question,

"You fly out today, you are skipping today's training. A private jet will transport you to Athens directly, courtesy of our old ally. From there, you will have only a few hours to set up the mission, and then are to complete it. He is a powerful and valuable ally, and therefore need to complete this mission as I stated. Exactly."

Bane said nothing in response, Talia immediately jumped in,

"You can count on us father, it would be rather difficult for three of us to all let you down."

When the trio had no more questions, Bane and Talia exited the office. However, David stayed behind at the request of Ra's. Talia wasn't sure what her father had to tell him, but she had an idea.

…

The flight into Greece had been a gorgeous one, by the time they arrived, it was sunset. David hadn't stopped talking the entire flight, irritating Bane beyond belief. The trio had found the hotel fairly easily, booked their own rooms, and were preparing for the commencement of their first true mission.

David had prepared the laptop and tracking device while Talia got primped to look the part of a party-goer. Bane helped David sparingly and thought of how he would go about killing this man quietly, and silencing the woman before she screamed for help. When Talia came out of the bathroom, both men were utterly surprised.

A black strapless dress hugged her hourglass figure, making her look leaner and taller. Red lipstick stained her lips and the loose up-do made her elegant collarbone and jawline evident. David had cooed and doted on how fantastic she looked in an annoyingly flamboyant way. Although Bane's shock wasn't quite as evident, the expression in his eyes was more than enough for Talia to know what he thought. The brunette woman had briefly spoke with them about how she was going to go about completing the mission, and then left them at the hotel.

...

The party was not as hectic as she had expected. The man wouldn't be that difficult to spot in the early evening crowd. Talia had taken his picture that her father gave them, and memorized it while on the flight. She was ready. This was her first true mission for the League of Shadows. She knew she didn't really thank her father for giving her the opportunity, but she truly felt she was ready. Her innocent looking brown eyes scanned the crowd, searching for the man with no luck. The pompous air of rich folk polluted her senses, they made her sick. Trying not to glare at these ridiculous conceited people was a difficult task in itself- while on top of that, searching for a man amongst the flocks of partygoers.

Eventually, Talia grew tired of scanning nearly two hundred faces and she went to get some air. It had been an annoying three hours in the stuffy museum with all of these people. The air was crisp and comforting outside, not frigid and unforgiving like back in Tibet. The sounds of the crowd filled her ears, making her take a deep breath to relax. Tiny holes in the floor of heaven dimly shone in the black sky, it was so calming outside that ruckus of a party. She hated being around this huge group of people. They were so ignorant, so naive to believe that no one knew of their selfish ways. Nearly all of them were money hungry pigs out to show their wealth off with clothing and material things- and bragging about their fabulous vacations and wealthy estates back home.

Her thoughts were abruptly stopped as a clumsy body knocked into hers, making her whip her head around. Her eyes were narrowed in an unintentional glare at the man who bumped her. He immediately turned and apologized casually, a half assed smile on his face. The stench of alcohol and sweat emanated off of him like a garbage truck. Talia felt a chill run down her spine when she realized that this was him. What were the chances that this idiot was the man she was searching for? This didn't feel right. Out of all the people at this party, what were the chances he would just bump into her.

The young woman smiled at him apologetically and feigned kindness in her voice,

"Oh I'm sorry about that. I hope you didn't spill your drink."

The man shook his head, his face red from the amount of alcohol in his system. The smell of booze wafted around her as he fumbled over his speech. He casually engaged her in conversation, and was scolded immediately when a blond woman approached him from behind. The skanky woman yanked on his sleeve, eyeing Talia up and down as if she were an animal. The skinny woman relentlessly rattled off complaints and pulled him along after her, cursing under her breath at Talia. Her tiny metallic blue dress hiked up her scrawny hips as she dragged him like a puppy behind her. The annoying pair made Talia clench her teeth, they were the ones. This man was their target. Maverick and his girl, Sara.

Talia pulled out the tracking device, hidden in the cleavage of her dress. The one thing she had forgotten- a clutch bag for her small device looked identical to a cellphone- allowing no one to recognize it. After dialing a number, and sending it as a message to David and Bane, the preparations were complete. It was up to those two to be in the right place. Talia kept her distance, trailing the unsuspecting couple back to the Hotel. Things seemed so simple. Almost too simple. Her heart raced in her chest as she entered the hotel lobby. This was it. This was the moment she had been waiting to prove herself to her father. This mission would not only be helpful to her, but to Bane as well.

The blond woman hung all over the man as they stumbled into the elevator in a drunken stupor. A silver heel came off the woman's foot as she clambered around inside the reflective walls of the elevator. Sara laughed obnoxiously as she slammed her hands around on the buttons in the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, deep almond eyes shot over to the door for the staircase. Talia then made her way towards the staircase, making sure no one in the lobby was watching her. She darted up to the fourth floor, upon which Bane was going to be waiting in their room. Talia looked down the hall as the couple wandered down towards their room. They were going to be an easy kill, almost so easy it was offensive to Talia. It was going to be so simple.

The pair fumbled over the room key and slid it into the door, pushing it open. As soon as they entered the room, Maverick seemed to stumble ahead of the blond woman into the dark space. Out of the darkness, a huge man rushed forward- instilling a wordless fear in the couple. The huge hand of the man reached out with dangerous speed- clenching down on the drunkards windpipe. Bane's assault crushed the air out of his throat immediately, and began to cut off his circulation as Maverick sputtered for air. Just as the blond realized what was going on, she moved to run back away. She opened her mouth to scream, but it was halted by a knife being jabbed into her shoulder blades, piercing her heart and left lung. A shrill yelp escaped her lips briefly- but a swift hand clapped over her mouth and pulled her backwards. Talia held the woman up barely by the knife, blood spewing out between her fingers as the blond sunk to the floor.

Talia's expression was startlingly calm for having just committed murder. Her unforgiving brown eyes on the woman as she finished bleeding out on the floor. The murderous woman casually reached back and pushed the door almost shut- then reached to wipe her cheek. Only a crack was left to allow a tiny bit of light in around the room door.

Within a few moments, the small struggle between the man and Bane came to a halt. Once his kicking stopped, Bane simply dropped the pile of meat to the floor. The body made a loud thump against the linoleum. The muscular man then looked over at Talia with a rather emotionless face. There was an indescribable silence between them. A hidden rage boiled in their hearts simultaneously. Bane's wheezing through the mask was the only sound between them. Her glassy eyes seemed to almost glow in the dim light emanating from the cracked open door behind her. After a few moments of silence, Talia spoke up without a hint of tension in her voice,

"We still have our rooms all night, should we go back and get cleaned up?"

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MewMid: Omg hotel time. Mhm. Ps. Sorry for any type-Os. My b.

R and R please! They're my motivation to continue writing. :D


	4. Intimidation

Description: Bane and Talia have an intimate moment, and can't get a hold of their third member, David. Bane gets a bad feeling, and decides to pursue him. When they are ambushed, can the two of them break free? Or will they be killed and wiped off the map forever?

Rating: T cursing, violence, suggestive crap.

**MewMid**: I decided to give this story a darker turn, and I hope everyone loves it. But I suppose it's already pretty dark. Haha!

AND HOLY CRAP I love you all reviewing, you all are inspiring me to push the story further! I really appreciate it!

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There was a dull sound of water running inside the bathroom to his right- Talia was getting cleaned up. The brunette woman had gotten more blood on her than Bane did, he killed in cleaner ways. Choking people was usually an effective way of killing- personal, clean, and satisfying.

The air conditioning helped his muscles to cool down from the previous moments struggle. His hands were clasped together in front of him, heavy elbows rested on his knees. Bane sat quietly at the foot of one of the queen size beds, the raggedy springs croaking beneath his weight. It had been an overall easy killing, and the mission was complete. They were to fly back to Tibet tomorrow, back to the League of Shadows. It was quite a thought- thinking of how Ra's would react to the successful mission. It almost was too easy. There was actually no real need for the three of them to go, Talia could have done it herself.

It was truly curious. Why would Ra's send the three of them? Ra's was an intelligent man, aged by conspiracy and murder- and therefore made Bane wonder what his true intentions were.

His peculiar thoughts came to a halt when the shower suddenly cut off. Bane shifted slightly, reaching up and wiggling the right side of the mask to get a small itch. He would need to take it off in order to shower, he didn't want to risk ruining his mask with rust. After a few sounds of movement behind the bathroom door, it pulled open. A gold artificial light poured out into the dim hotel room, a dark silhouette appearing in the doorway.

Without a second thought, Bane glanced over to the door. He wasn't particularly looking for anything, but what he saw surprised him. A woman with flushed skin and wet dreaded hair stood before him, no sense of caution apparent in her body language. A white towel draped around her womanly figure, a single hand holding the top right corner of it up as she walked out proudly. Bane inhaled sharply through the mask, attempting to keep his eyes on her face. She had no hesitation walking up in front of him as he sat up straight, unsure of what to say or do. Talia used her free hand to reach up and ring out some water in her hair onto the floor behind her, looking down at Bane's enticed expression. A mischievous expression creeped over her face as she spoke to him,

"It's your turn."

Bane immediately stood up, making her step back in a slight surprise at the abrupt movement. He turned and walked over to the bathroom, hands on the back of the mask, fiddling with the metal clasps. Bane stood in front of the mirror as he proceeded to remove the mask, his eyes down on the sink. He hated looking at his bare face, he wouldn't look at mirrors if he could avoid it. It was a silly quirk of his- but he hated the twisted remains of his mouth.

As he grabbed the front of the mask to remove it, Talia appeared by his left side, standing in the doorway. Bane held the metal barrier there, slowly looking over at her. An unmistakable look of wonder was written all over her face, like a child looking up to a starry sky- only this was a far less beautiful situation in his opinion. Talia made no move, her body stark still.

The masked man shifted slightly, giving her a concerning glance with his eyes,

"I don't want you to see my face Talia."

His words sounded far more demanding than he intended. Of course she did not heed his words, defiant as always. Talia blinked slowly, a hint of amusement playing her face,

"What are you afraid of?"

The question almost offended him, his eyebrows lowered in irritation. He turned completely toward her, still holding the mask with one hand over his face as he spoke,

"I _fear_ nothing. However, my face is irreparably scarred and-"

"You think I care about that?"

The clever woman interrupted, a twinge of bitterness in her voice. The two locked eyes for a few quiet moments- the silence was so loud between them. Talia then relaxed her face, smiling in a forgiving sort of way. A loud heart pounded in her chest, she was unsure of what his face would truly look like. She swore he could hear the beating in her chest as she reached up. Talia released the fabric that covered her nude form, reaching up with both hands and delicately placing them on the twisted steel on his face. Bane felt his mouth drop slightly open in surprise as her towel fell to the ground. She was every bit as beautiful as he expected.

"I have nothing to hide, and neither should you when you're with me."

Those words closed the distance between them, her body heat tickling the front of his body. Her hands gently set the metal trap aside on the counter, her eyes only leaving his face for a brief moment. Bane arched his back, his muscles tensing as she reached up to touch his face. The delicate fingers softly touched his skin, lighter than a feather as they explored the jarred flesh. The twisted remains of his skin didn't seem to phase her, despite the fact his lips were belted with scars.

Nervousness filled his stomach, but she made no look of disgust- no real reaction whatsoever on her part. Bane only briefly glanced at Talia's body, trying to keep his mind off of what he was actually seeing. Talia then slid her arms around the back of his neck, pulling down on his upper body. The man hesitantly leaned down, staring into her surprisingly lustful eyes with an inner fear eating him alive. The fear of her rejecting him because of having such a wasted face haunted him. No one could love a face like this.

As he hunched down over Talia, she stood up on her toes and leaned uncomfortably close to his face. A sharp heat hit his body when she daintily pressed her lips against the haggard remains of his. The contact was electric, despite the fact the nerve endings in his lips were almost totally shot. The tiny contact made him ache for more, his heart raced in his chest. Bane felt a remarkable urge, he wanted Talia. He ached for every inch of her body to be against his, but knew she couldn't understand how much he truly wanted this. A small gasp escaped her lips as huge hands grabbed her shoulders and lifted her up, placing her rear on the cold counter top beside them. Stone hips pressed against the soft skin on the inside of her knees, making her calfs brush against his thighs. Scarred lips explored her luscious mouth as though it was the last time they could ever feel such a thing.

Talia leaned into the firm kiss, his huge body hovering over hers. Her hands moved their way down to his broad chest, fingers slightly digging into his dense skin. Her soft lips tickled the remains of the nerves in his mouth, making him lean into her face harder. When he realized his bulky hands were resting on her muscular thighs, he snapped back. The large man stood upright, pulling his hands away slowly- shaking his head once to absorb what had just happened. Talia had a hazy expression, a light flush painting her lips and cheeks. Bane stared into her eyes intensely with regret, seeming to forget his face was exposed.

"I apologize…"

Bane said hurriedly, his voice far more raspy without the mask. The apology felt alien to his exposed face, words even felt awkward to him. How could she make him so uncomfortable? So lustful?

The woman eyed him with warmth and care, an unreadable intention now on her beautiful features. He didn't understand. Nothing made sense.

The massive man turned away from her, moving to turn on the shower. Bane had to pretend this didn't just happen. He couldn't look into those eyes. Those damn eyes pulled him in, making him like a blood thirsty shark going for chum. He couldn't look at that beautiful body either- Talia was trapping him. Trapping him _easily_ at that. He didn't know what she wanted, nor did he know why she would do such a thing. But the love in his heart for her would not be tainted by cravings of the flesh. If she didn't love him, he couldn't bring himself to dominate her in such a way. It was torture for him, he wanted her more than anything. However, he didn't want her to just use him, if she would even do such a thing.

She wasn't the same person he knew, he didn't know if she would want the pleasures of the flesh like he would. Could it be that he didn't fully trust her? Bane mentally kicked himself, what a stupid excuse on his part. Ignorance was infecting him like a disease to him, he felt stupid. He was a man, men love sex. It only made sense his body ached for this. But the idea of sleeping with her made him nervous, he didn't want to have one passion filled night, and then lose her. He cared for her far too much to do anything that could potentially scare her away. Every little action he made was under immense scrutiny on his own part.

One important detail that stuck to the front of his mind, what if her father found out. He couldn't risk being tossed back into the pit, and truly being absent from her life. So many risks with this woman.

More excuses. Feelings are shit.

Talia herself didn't know why she was doing this. Her body ached for the man, every cell in her body urged her to be caressed by his wonderful touch. Without a word, she scooted off the counter top and made her way out into the main part of the room. Maybe it was better this way. She knew if her father found out, he would immediately kill Bane, or worse. Talia bit her lip as she slipped on a nightdress she had brought along. Bane closed the door behind her, attempting to sort out his own mess of feelings.

It was very bold of her to do such a thing, almost too foolish for words. It would be a huge risk to Bane's safety if she did act on these urges again. Her father would be beyond livid, but it was hard to fight what your heart wanted. Perhaps, this strange love was worth the risk?

Her heart only beat this out of control for this man, Bane. It was dead silent for everyone else- Including her father.

…

Something was _very_ wrong here.

"Where would he have gone?"

Talia said anxiously, whipping around to face her masked friend. The enormous man stood in the room, staring long and hard at the surroundings. It was impeccably clean, but that was expected. This room was juxtaposed to their own, and had belonged to their fellow league member. Once Bane had cleaned himself up, the two of them decided to go look for their third accomplice. David had been in here contacting them through their tracking devices through the entire mission. But now, he was curiously absent. He was supposed to come to their room after getting cleaned up. It had been almost an hour.

David knew the plane didn't leave until the next morning, and they had agreed not to leave their rooms after completing the mission. This was definitely suspicious. Bane was used to betrayal, he had a fair idea of what might be going on. The masked man looked over at the stressed woman,

"It's time we head back to the plane, if he leaves we will not have any way of getting back to Tibet."

"Why would he leave without us?"

…

The question hovered over them as they made their way to the small airport nearby. They had flown into a small local airport to avoid getting any real attention from TSA agents. Bane didn't have to remove his mask going through the tiny local airports. The private jet had been provided to them by Ra's, allowing them to avoid the busy major airport traffic. But why would David suddenly leave the hotel? This entire situation was strange, things weren't adding up.

Dark clouds loomed over the airport as they pulled into the gate. Bane drove the large dark Suburban onto the tarmac of the airport, the wheels crunching the gravel against the concrete. There were a few other planes on the tarmac as well, but their jet was on the other side of he propeller planes. Talia was dead silent as Bane parked the suburban next to the main hangar, his narrow gaze fell to her. The brunette wasn't looking at him, she was leaning against the window trying to see their plane from the parking spaces.

"You cannot see the plane from here?"

Bane's words almost sounded more like a statement as he pushed the door open. A tiny mumble escaped her lips as she exited the car, brushing her formfitting burgundy trench coat free of wrinkles. The heels on her feet clicked lightly against the gritty concrete as the two made their way towards the plane, seeing a few individuals near the jets on the far side of the tarmac. The dry cool air blew against their backs as they strode along, brunette hair whirling around Talia's face in an ethereal way. Bane stole a glance at her as they walked along, secretly adoring her serious expression. His large hands rested on his thick plated vest as he gazed out at the individuals moving around the planes ahead of them.

The men struck him as odd, they didn't look as though they were working. At all. As the jet came into view, the suspicion turned into reality as they came closer. Thunder rumbled in the distance through the dark endless roof of clouds.

"Talia…"

The huge man huffed under his mask as he stopped walking, tilting his head. His words were quiet, he knew those men weren't working here at the airport. The young woman turned on her heel, their eyes met and locked. He could tell she didn't understand. Bane shifted his weight, glancing passed her as the men began looking in their direction. Heavy hands weighed down the vest on his chest as he spoke in the best whisper he could muster with the steel trap on his face,

"This is an ambush."

Her huge brown eyes narrowed in disbelief, her mouth falling open slightly in an almost disgusted expression. Talia slowly turned her head, as if the men would jump on them at any second. The men's heads were turned in their direction, but still were moving about, loading equipment into a jet beside their own. Her words were shushed as she took a cautious step back towards Bane,

"How do you know?"

"This steel does not cover my eyes."

The tension of the moment allowed no sarcastic glance from the brunette, she had turned back and stared at the men. In an instant, the bags and boxes in their arms fell to the ground. A spear of anxiety shot through Talia's heart as they pulled guns out of their boxes. That's one thing they didn't bring with them. The League of Shadows killed with blades and martial arts skills, guns were generally not used. A huge figure moved into her way as the men aimed at them and stormed towards them.

"What a cowardly set up."

Bane said- an underlying danger in his tone as he stepped in front of her. Talia grabbed his shoulder and attempted to push him aside as she hissed at him,

"What are you doing?"

Bane stood in front of the woman, still relaxed with his hands on his vest. They had no escape. Men with guns would immediately take out their car, it would be better to just face them. With his vest, he could at least block bullets from hitting Talia if he stood here- in case they fired. The masked man didn't even look back at her as the men approached them. As expected, David was part of them.

With guns pointed in the pair's faces, the men circled around the duo. David had a snarky expression on his face as he approached Bane,

"Looks like we gotcha', you wondering what's going on, bear trap?"

The ludicrous nickname for Bane didn't earn a chuckle from anyone. Talia sneered at him, moving to Bane's left side, but still sticking close to him.

"What exactly do you think you are doing? Kidnapping or killing us quite possibly could be the most ignorant thing you could do."

The wily nature of this woman seemed to get her the attention of the mercenary men around them. All of them eyeing her, wondering whether to silence her or allow their leader, David, to handle it. Her eyes were laced with a tame fire as she glared at David, a flare matching the fury igniting inside Bane's chest. David stepped forward casually, a sarcastic grin plastered on his face. His words were spat towards them with an unfriendly twinge,

"I wasn't talking to you _bitch_."

The ripple of tension was visible on Bane's muscles at the instant that last word exited the vile man's mouth. Talia blinked rather unresponsively, she took a deep breath, thinking of a way out of this. The insult was trivial. David looked at the massive man towering over him, his words draped with a formidable anger.

"Those are unwise words from such an insignificant boy."

Bane was doing his best to hold back the rage boiling in his heart at the mans insult of Talia. The woman behind him immediately sensed the tension and stepped slightly back away from him- fully aware of what could happen. David took the bait and surged forward, jabbing Bane in the stomach of his vest with the barrel of his rifle. Not a cell flinched on the masked man's body as he stared down at David. The surrounding men stared intently at the scene unfolding before them. The blond man grit his teeth, barking orders at his comrades,

"You all stay the fuck back, He's _mine_."

Deep blue eyes stared down at David, deeper and darker than the crushing depths of the ocean. Challenging him. The weight of this man's stare honestly made David uncomfortable, but he'd never admit it. The men surrounding them shot a glare to both Talia and Bane as they held their positions. Bane leaned ever so slowly toward David, making his grip on the rifle quiver slightly. In an instant, a hulking right hand seized the barrel of the gun and shoved it to the left of his body. Just as David moved to react, his hand yanking down on the trigger, a metal covered forehead smashed into his head. Bullets burst from the rifle close to Bane's left, exploding in the concrete to Talia's left. The woman yelped and jumped to her right, looking at where the bullets hit the ground.

A pained yell escaped the blond man's throat as the gun went off while he recoiled from the head-butt. Blood trickled down the pale skin of David's face as he let out a groan. The men around them flinched and looked in awe as Bane then bent the barrel of the gun with his bare hand. The strap around the rifle wouldn't allow David to back away as Bane held the bent gun barrel and placed his left hand around the back of his neck, ushering him closer. The mask made Bane's spite easily heard as he spoke,

"I'm yours?"

The men then lifted their firearms to shoot the duo, earning a surprised look from Talia. The brunette held her breath and tensed her muscles as they all looked down the sights of their rifles. David shook his head violently and leaned back as much as he could from Bane, yelling at them,

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot! God dammit- If you kill her, Ra's Al Ghul will find us and kill _us_ no matter where we run!"

The desperation in his voice was too difficult to camouflage, his whole body quaking with the fear of being demolished by this huge man. Bane kept his eyes locked on David's as he forced him close to his face. The wheezing from the mask made the smaller man's skin crawl,

"I would recommend you call off your hounds and let us by, or I'll paint the Earth with your organs."

David thought for a moment, considering having his men shoot Bane. He hadn't properly weighed the seriousness of the situation, or what he would do with Bane. As far as he knew, Bane was as important to Ra's as Talia was. Ra's would most likely hunt him down if he killed Bane. Perhaps he could let them go, and pursue them again later on. Ra's would most likely let them go if he just allowed Bane and Talia to take the plane and go back. The breath in his chest came in small raspy gasps, the glare of Bane weighing his confidence down.

The feeling of Bane's enormous hand touching the back of his neck made him sick with fright. He hated being afraid of those bigger than him. Just as Bane began to move, David exhaled quickly and shook his head,

"All right, you win! You win! Just fucking let me down and you guys can take the damn jet and go. We won't follow! Men, put your guns down on the ground!"

Bane could feel Talia's anger bristling behind him, he knew she wouldn't let this go. The men around them hesitantly tossed their weapons aside and stepped back away from them, glaring at Bane. There were at least eight men, and only two of them- how ridiculous.

The masked man then violently yanked the rifle from David's chest, tossing the twisted gun to the ground beside them. With an abrupt shove, David fell back onto his rear, yelping like a dog as he hit the ground. The woman behind him shifted her weight, taking off her shoes one by one. Black stocking covered feet daintily stepped down on the concrete, her piercing eyes never left David's terrified face. David's eyes moved around quickly, like the man was strung out on drugs and in a panic.

With a deep relaxing breath, Bane stepped over the shivering mans body, making his way towards the white aircraft without a word. A cruel curve in Talia's lips hinted at her intentions as she walked after her protector in silence, holding a heeled shoe in each hand. A glare so easily perched on David's face as he looked back up to her made Talia clench her fists around the stilettos as she looked down at him. She stepped to his left to pass him, and his eyes fell to the ground away from her for just a moment. An innocent mistake, but quite an opportunity.

In the blink of an eye, Talia's heel was brutally smashed into the side of David's neck- blood immediately poured out of the wound. The blond man screamed and haphazardly clambered to his right, grabbing wildly at the pointed shoe jutting out of the side of his throat. The men around them flinched and gasped collectively, unsure of whether to move or not as their leader flailed like a fish out of water. A small twitch of irritation on her face was the last look she gave the man who did not face her, bleeding profusely on the ground. She turned so casually and continued following Bane, lightly stepping over the pooling blood and not looking back once to the man she had just assaulted.

Murder came so dangerously easily for this duo. With no regrets- and no hesitation.

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**MewMid**: Omg I wanted a bloody scene with Talia finally kicking some serious ass. I love dainty women who kick ass. Get some girl!

The Hotel scene wasn't what I was planning, but I plan on a lemon in the next chapter or so. I know their relationship is moving quickly, I'm aware, but I guess violence turns them on. ;) Hehe.

R and R please! I'm motivated to update quicker when I get reviews! :D


	5. Fun on an Aircraft

Description: Bane and Talia have some fun on the plane while on their way home, and prepare themselves to break the news to Ra's about David's betrayal. Ra's has a surprising reaction.

Rating: T-M Lemon.

MewMid: Finally I get to make a lemon between these two, it'll be interesting. Hehe. Enjoy!

IF YOU DONT WANNA READ A LEMON, skip to the end section. :)

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The main door of the plane cabin was open as they approached the plane, a small aluminum staircase hanging down out of the small doorway. Bane's heavy footsteps boomed up the small staircase, his broad shoulders barely fitting into the small opening. Talia quietly followed, secretly incredibly pleased with herself for the man she just cut down like a dog.

Thunder boomed again in the distance, wind whipping her hair about as she stepped up the ladder. Talia turned and looked out at the oncoming storm as she stood atop the stairs into the aircraft. Bright jagged lines flashed before her, lighting up the dark morning clouds surrounding the airport. The distant sound of rain made her sigh and step inside the cabin of the plane. She heard Bane inside, speaking with the confused pilots, informing them not to ask any questions about what they had just witnessed if they knew what was good for them.

The aircraft was designed to carry about ten people with large first class seating. The plane was barely tall enough for Bane to stand up in, and it was already freezing cold inside the air tight cabin. Talia pulled the door closed behind her, sealing it and then looking toward the front of the plane and at the back of Bane's huge body as he pulled the cockpit door closed. The large man shed his jacket, he no doubt intimidated them into not asking any questions. Bane tossed his jacket in one of the front chairs as he turned back towards the woman towards the back of the plane.

Talia daintily sat back into a cushioned seat, facing the tall man that moved to sit in the chair in front of her. The huge man sat back into the chair and glanced up at a rather amused Talia, the sound of the plane's engines starting up filled the airtight cabin. Talia smirked inwardly as the plane began to taxi across the tarmac, passing the group of men that had tried to ambush them. The uninjured men were carrying David away hurriedly, shooting glares back to the passing aircraft.

A low sound escaped Bane's throat as he observed their futile actions to save the ignorant man.

"He was a fool."

Talia chuckled under her breath as she stared out the window,

"No doubt. I'm honestly surprised he fooled my father for so long while being in the League."

"Perhaps your father was not deceived at all."

Piercing chocolate eyes shot to his face, the man was leaning back into the chair comfortably. Talia shifted the weight of her head to her elbow as she continued,

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

Bane took a deep breath, wheezing through the steel covering his mouth before responding to her question.

"Your father might have known of David's traitorous actions, and sent us here intentionally to kill him after our mission. Or perhaps he sent him here to kill me instead. The couple we rid the world of were merely pawns in Ra's plan."

The furrowing of her eyebrows together showed the thought cooking in Talia's brain, her eyes moving to the window once again as they rolled out onto the runway. Bane was far more intelligent than most people gave him credit for, he didn't miss a thing. Perhaps her father did know, this situation seemed to make perfect sense if that was the case. This is exactly how her father would handle a traitor too. Talia then shook her head, sheepishly smiling at her protector,

"He wouldn't try to kill you, please don't think that."

In an attempt to relax, Talia rolled her shoulders out and closed her eyes, leaning against the back of the seat. They hadn't slept all night while carrying out their mission, and now they were fleeing Greece in the wee hours of this stormy morning. It was a few hours ahead of schedule, but that wasn't a big deal necessarily.

The roar of the engines lifted the aircraft from the ground, launching them into the cloud filled sky. The plane jerked around a bit, making it nearly impossible to get any sleep. The pair was silent through the turbulence, not concerned in the least about the bumpy flight. Bane's hardened gaze stared out the small window despite the fact the clouds obscured his view.

The thought of Ra's plotting to kill him entertained his mind as he stared out the window. It is possible Ra's would do such a thing. Bane was well aware that Ra's did not care for him, it was vividly apparent through the training sessions how Ra's felt. The thought made him internally cringe in anger, that man wouldn't allow him to have Talia. No matter what Bane had done for her in the past, it would never prove he was good enough for Talia. Bane took a deep breath, Ra's didn't matter to him- but her father was the last surviving relative she had. Talia would never leave her father.

A small shift with her legs made him look over at her, his dark thoughts faded as he looked to her. Her posture was a slump down in the chair, her legs crossed in front of him elegantly. The woman was visibly tired, but wasn't asleep yet. She still looked so peaceful, he couldn't help but admire her. A loud boom of thunder made her eyes open, catching him in the act of staring. Talia lifted her head, looking over to the man,

"What is so interesting?

A deep breath filed his lungs, the tattered skin on his lips pulling back into an unseen amusement. Bane's eyebrows lifted in a surprised sort of way,

"I thought you were asleep."

Talia sighed in a cute little way, mumbling under her breath as she stretched her arms up.

"I am pretty tired."

The all too familiar eye contact seemed to be pulling them together. All the bitter thoughts toward her father were gone as her eyes pulled him in. Bane never understood why he loved staring into her eyes so much. He felt compelled to sweep her up into his arms and never let go, never let the world take her from him. Her words had an unfamiliar tone to them as she spoke once more,

"I don't think I'm ready to sleep though."

"You should try to rest, it's a five hour flight."

He said softly as he thought about what to think of this look in her eyes. It was subtle, but almost sinister. It puzzled him. Talia shrugged as she removed her burgundy trench coat, pushing it into the chair behind her. She wore a lacy grey tank top and black buttoned up shorts over her dark stockings. She looked very formal, very alluring.

The pulse in his heart picked up as she stood up, moving down the aisle towards the rear of the plane. His chair was facing the rear, allowing him to watch as she darted over to the cabin temperature control. It was a bit warm in the cabin now that they were in the air and the engines were going. It was strange, usually it got colder when the plane was in the air. The way she stood on her tip toes elongated her muscular legs, making it nearly impossible for him not to look. Bane sighed though the mask, looking out the window to his left, trying to avoid looking at the beautiful woman.

The child he once knew had developed into such a gorgeous woman, she could use her feminine wiles to get whatever she wanted. Even him.

Talia bit the inside of her lip as she adjusted the temperature. The urge to be with Bane seemed more intense now that they were alone on the plane without David. There was an immense feeling of comfort between them, even if they were silent. She turned her head and looked back at the masked man, his eyes no longer on her.

She wanted him. Seeing him defend her against David was a major push for her. Bane had moved in front of her to block any bullets from hitting her, what an incredible move. Some women didn't even have husbands that would do such a thing. It was a humbling to her, he cared so deeply that he'd take a bullet for her. Passion flooded her heart and lust infected her mind. Bane already was dedicated to her, but she wanted him to _be_ hers. She turned completely around and then leaned against the door to the bathroom behind her.

Bane realized she was facing him from the corner of his eye, but she didn't say anything to him. Curiosity nipped at him, making him cave and ask what she was doing,

"What is on your mind?"

Her head then tilted in a playful sway to the left, making her hair fall slightly around her face. The smirk on her lips made his heart skip a beat, her intentions blatantly displayed on her face. Bane perked up when she spoke to him in such a low whisper, it was almost difficult to hear.

"If I asked you to come here, would you?"

The question was odd in itself. The sultry gaze on the woman didn't change as she stared over at him. Bane surprised her as he stood up, heavy steps carrying him up to the front of her. Everything was happening so fast. His mind was racing- this one weakness, this one woman, was eating his heart alive ever so slowly. Talia looked up at him, the outer corners of her eyes lifted in a pleased way. His words were heavier and had less emotion than hers,

"You should already know that I would. Without question."

"You would kill a man just if I asked it of you?"

Bane's hulking muscles didn't move as he stared down at her. Those damn eyes of hers held his heart in a vice, making him want to grab her and keep her all to himself. His words came across far more intimidating this time,

"Anything you ask of me, will be done." His large hand reached up, a tense concentrated expression in his eyes as he brushed her hair out of her lovely face. "Whether it be a man, or a civilization. I am yours, for as long as you will have me. You are the one who gave me the will to live."

His words carried a density that made Talia's expression change, she seemed in disbelief at his words. Bane truly did live for her. No matter what she did, he would be here. Whether she was a murderer, a princess, or went to live a normal life, Bane would never leave her side, he would hold her hand the whole way. She was his achilles heel, his weakness. The man had no one but her to care for. No relatives. No family. No wife. Nothing to live for, but her.

Talia felt a tingle rush through her whole body, her skin was warm and her muscles began to quiver. His words made her want to cry, jump for joy, and grab him and kiss him all at once. How could one human being be so dedicated to another?

She gently grabbed his hand that was close to her and put it on her cheek, making him stare down with an unreadable emotion. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, he pulled his hand away. Bane for some reason felt frustrated with her for making him feel this way. She made him feel weak, he didn't understand the entire idea of love. He was confused, but wouldn't admit it openly.

He swiftly grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back and lifted her up a few inches against the door. Bane leaned in close to her face, the mask so close she could probably touch it with her nose if she tilted her head up. Talia gasped quickly when he pressed her into the door firmly, his words almost threatening now,

"How do you do this to me Talia? You see what you have done?"

Talia understood everything now. Now it was obvious to her, he did love her. Bane loved her with every fiber of his being. He would never leave her, never hit her, and would always keep her safe- he was the perfect lover. She had just been to afraid to open up and accept it.

While Bane struggled with his feelings, the woman wiggled, making him slowly let her down to touch the floor. As his grip loosened, she arched her back, pressing her hips into his. Bane closed his eyes as she reached up and pulled his head down so she could plant a kiss above his left eyebrow. Those lips of hers were soft, like silk pressing against his tougher skin. This was it. The passion in his heart was at a boiling point, and it spilled out of him quickly as he seized the girl in his arms.

As he slid his right hand around her throat and jaw gently, she cooed in a satisfied manner. Feeling her soft skin under his finger tips made his heart pound in his chest. Talia shoved around a little and her shorts fell to the floor of the plane, she was craving this as much as he was. The sexual tension between them had been easy to see for the both of them, but it was finally the tipping point.

As soon as the fabric hit the ground, huge hands grabbed under her lean legs and lifted her up to his hips. Her muscular thighs did a great job holding her on his waist as she explored his neck with her lips and tongue. The scarred flesh around his lips twisted in a flustered manner as the woman drove him insane with passion. The feeling of her lips on his skin made his body temperature jump up sharply.

His excitement was impossible to hide from her as she clung to the front side of his body, her upper back pressed into the door behind her. Her full curved rear created a heated friction between their lower halves as she struggled to keep her upper body high enough for her to kiss his solid neck and chest. Bane held her left leg with his left arm and used his right hand to grab the side of her waist and help hold her up. The enormous man seemed to overwhelm her, she seemed so tiny in his burly arms. After allowing her to nibble on his collarbone for a few sweet moments, he had enough. A strong right hand ripped the sheer stockings from the hip around her thigh, he tore the piece of shredded fabric aside. All of his muscles were tense as Talia struggled to strip the lower half of his body.

Neither of them cared about the ruined fabric that fell aside.

The hard mask nuzzled into the side of her neck and into the mess of hair, her scent maddening to him. Tiny gasps escaped her lips as she lifted her with his hands and pressed his hips between her thighs. A wince appeared on her face as he entered her, small hands now clenching the hard muscles on his shoulders for support. He found that she was rather slick and surprisingly eager to have him farther in. For just a moment he was still, absorbing what she felt like to him.

The brunette's mouth hung open and her eyes were clenched shut, head leaning to the left so he could hardly see her expression. They were only as undressed as they needed to be, not wasting any time getting fully naked. A few aghast words escaped her lips,

"You're enormous!"

The stifled whisper turned into a small grunt as he began a quick pace, unable to hold off any longer. What Talia said was true, the huge man was proportioned exactly the same as his body would suggest. Her tiny sounds and flinches made the blood pound in his ears, his hands firmly grabbing her in various ways to keep her from slamming too hard into the door behind her. Wild passion filled them both as he began a faster pace, her legs barely able to stay around his hips. A small yelp escaped her throat as he jammed his lower half forward one hard time, pushing himself into her womanhood deeper and harder.

The pace continued to become more rapid over the next couple minutes, making her nails dig into his shoulders as he thrust. He hated to admit that it wouldn't take long, but she was irresistible. Talia kept turning her head to the left, keeping her eyes closed in reaction to the pain combining with pleasure. Bane felt his head press into the door next to her face as he felt his lower half tense up repeatedly. The sounds escaping her lips seemed almost far away, making him move faster to force her to be louder.

Inaudible words from her made him realize he wanted to see her face as they finished. He hadn't really paid any attention to how many orgasms she had if any, since his hearing was clouded with blood drumming his ears. He wheezed through his mask as he leaned his upper body back, holding her up with his left hand as he felt his climax approaching. Talia writhed around, looking for something to grab onto.

A heavy right hand grabbed her jaw and forced her to face him, his lower body suddenly tensed with white hot anxiety. His pace immediately became jaggedly rapid as he breathed out loudly through the mask, only low groans escaping his scarred lips as he finished. Talia opened her eyes halfway as his hard thrusts became slow and then halted. The woman exhaled loudly, releasing his shoulders slightly from her grasp, and looking up at him with a cloudy expression.

The loud rumble of thunder outside made him open his eyes and look down at Talia, her cheeks and lips lit up in a heated rosy flush. Bane moved his right hand up and stroked her soft hair, staring intently into her eyes. It had been hard and quick, but it was incredible nevertheless. Talia wiggled slightly, still tangled up on his hard hips. Bane wheezed slowly through the steel on his face,

"You are so very lovely Talia."

Talia smiled at him as she leaned up and planted a kiss on the outside of the metal piping on the front of the mask. Bane sighed as though he could feel the sweet gesture. A sick piece of him wishing he could. The two remained tangled together only for a few moments before separating and getting themselves dressed. Bane sat down first in the chair he had been in previously, taking some calming breaths to cool himself down. After Talia removed the remains of her stockings she made her way over to him, sliding onto his lap in a sly way.

The secretly giddy woman sat on his lap and nuzzled into his neck, leaning into his chest and closing her eyes. Bane leaned back into the chair, allowing her to get more comfortable on his lap. Talia seemed to doze off before he did, breathing long and slow. The masked man tried to rest, but knew that he couldn't after what had just happened. The image of her face was stuck in his mind,the cherry cheeks of hers the only color in his mind while his eyes were closed.

With huge arms around her, Talia slept until they arrived in Tibet. They wasted no time when they arrived, making their way to the League of Shadows immediately- unaware of what to expect from Ra's Al Ghul when they arrived.

…

The unwelcoming cold temperatures of the Himalayas swirled around them as the duo walked up to the dark main building of the League of Shadows. The structure was dark and unfriendly looking as they approached it, snow clung to the roof. A single man stood in the double doors at the front of the building to greet them. Dark clothes hid his familiar muscular figure, but his face was visible with an uncanny emotion of seriousness.

Talia walked beside her protector towards Ra's, their steps crunching in the snow covered ground. A hearty smile was apparent on Talia's face as she hugged her father to greet him. However, Bane was not nearly as friendly. Suspicion filled his head, contemplating why Ra's would have sent a traitor along with them on the mission. He wasn't sure if Ra's had tried to have him killed, or if he was not aware of the betrayal. The whole situation was odd. He put his own daughter in the way, and if Bane hadn't been there, Talia could have been lost.

"I must talk with you both, concerning the mission. Please, come inside."

Just as Ra's moved to open the door, a huge arm slammed against the huge door to his right- holding it shut. Talia let out a squeak of surprise and looked at Bane with a questioning expression. Ra's didn't seem surprised in the slightest, a calm look on his face as he glanced over to Bane. The masked man leaned his weight against the door as he demanded answers from Ra's.

"Before we walk into another potential trap, I believe we deserve to know why you sent David along to kill us."

A shock ran up Talia's spine as Bane confronted her father, her wide eyes glued to Ra's expressionless face. The grey haired man turned toward Bane, as if he was about to confront him physically. Bane didn't move a muscle, not intimidated by the older man at all. Ra's took a frustrated breath and began to explain,

"Not that my intentions are your business Bane, but yes, I knew of David's betrayal. I knew what he planned to do. Your suspicion betrays you. However, my sending him along, was simply a task for you and Talia. I was simply trying to see if you both were prepared to handle an actual betrayal, and to show you that you cannot trust anyone in this world when your back is turned. Compassion and trust will kill you both if you let it."

"Not my business you say?"

Bane replied with a surprised expression on his raised eyebrows as he glared down at the secretive man. Talia shifted her weight, pulling her hands out of her pockets and grabbing Bane's coat sleeve with one of them, looking up at him with desperation. She was offended her father would do such a thing, but she had to expect these things when being trained. It was necessary- Her father was testing them. And they had passed. Talia attempted to soothe the situation over by interrupting them,

"Bane, he was just testing us. We should expect this sort of thing in order to become what we are destined to be."

The huge man looked over at her, a stern narrow gaze making her feel small. Her father's eyes remained locked on the huge man, analyzing him and judging him as his anger began to get the best of him. Ra's wasn't surprised in the slightest at Bane's next comment,

"Your own father throws you in the path of a speeding train, and you thank him? This is the training you agreed to?"

Before Talia could respond, Ra's interjected, making the situation far more tense than necessary.

"If you don't care for my training methods, then perhaps you are not suited for our mission. If you understand your mistake and _are_ in fact cut out for this, perhaps you can accept what I have done, and understand I was, in fact, testing you. It's a waste of time to explain myself to _mindless_ beasts that have no sense reason. Excuse me."

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MewMid: Mhm… Huge beefy man and a shapely smaller woman in an airplane, and now her daddy is challenging her man. Rushed the end of this chapter to get it posted, sorry if it's a little ooh. BUT... Hehe. Dramaaa.

R and R! Hope everyone enjoyed the scene! I'll update soon!


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